Journal of Environmental Biology

Effect of application of bioorganic nutrients on soil health and pea productivity in Entisols of North-western Himalayas

R. Sharma¹*, K. Jasrotia¹, V. Sharma², S. Sharma², M. Thakur³, A. Sharma¹ and Ojaswini⁴     

¹Department of Soil Science and Water Management, (Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry), Hamirpur-177 001, India.

²Department of Biotechnology, (Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry), Hamirpur-177 001, India

³Department of Basic Sciences, (Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry), Hamirpur-177 001, India

⁴Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi-175 005, India

Received: 09 October 2024                   Revised: 09 January 2025                   Accepted: 28 May 2025

*Corresponding Author Email : rakeshsolan@gmail.com                  *ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6138-1025

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the impact of integrating organic manures and fermented bio-formulations on soil health and pea (Pisum sativum L.) productivity as a sustainable alternative to inorganic fertilisers.

Methodology: The experiment evaluated nine treatments, which consisted of various combinations of fermented bio-formulations (jeevamrit, beejamrit, and ghanjeevamrit) and organic manures (FYM and vermicompost). The treatments were laid out in a randomised block design with three replications, using Pea (variety Punjab-89) as the test crop during the years 2021 and 2022.

Results: The results showed that integrating organic manures with bio-formulations significantly improved the soil properties and pea yield. Specifically, treatment T₃ enhanced the soil organic carbon, microbial count, and nutrient availability significantly. However, treatment T₆ achieved the highest pea yield of 14.78 t ha^-1, representing a 20.5% increase compared to the conventional NPK treatment (T₂), with a benefit-cost ratio of 2.22. T₆ treatment also demonstrated comparable improvements in the microbiological and biochemical activity to T₂.

Interpretation: The study concludes that the conjoint use of organic manure (FYM or vermicompost) with fermented nutrient sources (beejamrit and jeevamrit) offer a sustainable approach in enhancing the pea productivity and soil health, reducing reliance on chemical fertilisers.

Key words: Bioformulation, Entisols, Nutrient management, Organic manure, Pisum sativum

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